36. Delaney
DELANEY
“Delaney, you should know by now, when it comes to you, I can’t say no.”
That’s all I need to hear. In an instant, I’m straddling Connor on the couch, claiming his mouth with mine. Everything else fades away. The lost years behind us, the future that lies ahead, the hard work it will take to get there, it all disappears as our kiss deepens.
Connor pulls back to rest his forehead against mine and lets out a contented sigh. “Missed you so much, Delaney.”
He opens his mouth to say something else, but I silence him with my lips.
“No more talking,” I mumble into the kiss.
I feel him smile against my lips as I swipe my tongue along his lower lip, asking for more. He gives me access, and I kiss him like he’s the air I need to breathe.
His hands find the hem of the shirt that I’m wearing, Ridgecrest High English department printed on the front.
“My shirt looks good on you, baby, but I think it would look even better on the floor.”
I raise my arms, letting Connor pull the shirt over my head. My pulse quickens as he takes a sharp inhale, eyes raking down my body. I reach behind my back and unclasp my bra, letting him see it all.
“Good girl.”
I melt under his praise.
He gently pushes me off his lap and up to my feet. He lazily drapes his arms over the back of the couch and leans back, like we’ve got all the time in the world. His T-shirt hugs his broad chest, and his sweatpants do nothing to hide his excitement.
With a devilish smile, he says, “Strip for me baby.”
“You know something we have in common?” I say, my hands finding the waistband of my leggings as I step away from the couch. “I can’t say no to you either.”
As slowly as can be done with a pair of leggings, I shimmy out of my pants. The lust on Connor’s face spurs me on, and I loop my fingers in the waistband of my panties and tease those down, too.
I stalk towards him, stopping at the edge of the couch. Dropping to my knees between his open legs, I reach for his shirt. He makes no moves to stop me as I pull it up and over his head.
I look up at him and our eyes meet.
Everything falls away. Our bare chests move in time with each other, a heat I’ve never known radiating between us. The anticipation is unlike anything I’ve felt before, a mix of never wanting this moment to end and a frantic desperation to become one.
Connor’s previous relaxed attitude turns frenzied as he shoves his sweatpants to his ankles, and all restraint disappears when I climb back onto his lap.
“Condom. Wallet.” He grinds out, pointing in the general direction of his discarded pants. I retrieve a condom, and he makes quick work of it.
I line myself up, desperation taking over, when he grips my hips hard and holds me in place.
Leaning his forehead against mine, he rasps, “I’m still a little bit mad at you. You shouldn’t have left.”
“I know. Now let me show you how sorry I am.”
And I do. Anger and lust and forgiveness and love passes between us, bodies connected, hearts laid bare.
The intensity builds until we both collapse into each other, euphoric.
We stay like that, bodies still joined, until our breathing slows. A satisfied smile plays on Connor’s lips.
“Baby, I’m gonna need that every day for the rest of my life.”
I smile back at him, climbing off his lap to gather up my clothes. “I think that could be arranged.”
He follows me down the hall to the bathroom, shimmying his sweatpants back on. From the doorway, he says, “Move in with me. That’s part of the plan, right? You’re not gonna go back to your parents’ house, right?”
The pleading tone in his voice is adorable.
I pop back out of the bathroom, leggings abandoned, but his stolen T-shirt and my panties back in place.
“If that’s okay with you, I was thinking it makes the most sense. Logistically.”
Connor pins me with a dangerous stare. “Fuck logic. I’m talking about love, baby.”
I’m about to jump into his arms again when the doorbell rings.
“Just a minute!” Connor hollers towards the entryway, looking a little more than exasperated that someone’s here disturbing our reunion.
From my hiding spot in the bathroom, I see a very confused Caroline walk through the front door, Wells trailing behind carrying my hastily dropped duffel bags.
Pantless but covered in Connor’s T-shirt, I emerge, feeling my cheeks pink with embarrassment.
“Hi, guys.” I give a little wave as I stop to hide behind Connor’s wide body. “I’m back.”
Wells’ eyes go wide. “Well shit. I’m assuming these are yours.” He drops my bags unceremoniously to the floor, then attempts to hightail it out, catching Caroline by the sleeve.
Caroline shrugs him off and rushes to me. “I knew you’d come back,” she shrieks. “Can’t stay away from my charm for too long.”
“Pretty sure she came back for Connor, but okay, Caroline.” Wells mumbles under his breath.
Caroline's eyes dance between me and Connor, taking in my lack of pants, and Connor’s lack of a shirt, and she laughs, a wicked smile spreading across her face.
“Oh, she definitely came for Connor, all right.”
“And that’s my cue to leave.” Wells stumbles back to the door as Caroline cracks up. He lifts his eyes enough to look at Connor. “We were just dropping in to check on you, but it looks like all is right in the world again.”
Looping her arm in mine, Caroline drags me to the kitchen. “I’m not leaving. Tell me everything.”
Those two sentences are so simple, yet they land somewhere deep in my chest. As if I needed any more proof that Ridgecrest is my home, Caroline’s somewhat aggressive, but loving, friendship solidifies it.
We giggle and scheme and catch up while Connor makes us coffee. She loves my idea and wants to help, a stark contrast to Matty, who only cared about my ideas if there was something in it for him.
“I’m calling Wells to come back over. I’ll invite Vic too.” Caroline declares from our nest on the couch. “Is that okay, Connor? A little friend-group reunion party?”
“Oooohh, yes please. I need this. A little party.”
Connor makes a face at me, “You need a party, huh? Well, in that case, who am I to stand in your way?”
The house fills with all of our best friends and coworkers. There’s pizza and beer and sparkling water, football on one TV and karaoke on another, and so much life bursting at the seams.
And when the festivities finally wind down and I crawl into bed with Connor, I finally let myself believe that I just might be able to have it all.